As a dental hygienist, a goal of mine is to help people with their oral health so they can love their smiles. Healthy smiles start with these daily routines!
Below, I've outlined an oral care regimen that will prevent cavities and gum disease. Every mouth is different, so you may need to adjust this regimen accordingly to fit your needs!
1. Start with a good mouth rinse. Starting with a mouth rinse like Listerine will begin to kill bacteria on all surfaces in your mouth. Your cheeks, roof of your mouth, and lips are not commonly brushed, so using a mouth rinse will keep these areas clean.
2. Interdental cleaning (AKA flossing) should be the second step. I use the term interdental cleaning because there a many ways you can clean between your teeth. You can use traditional string floss, floss picks, interdental brushes, or my personal favorite, a water flosser! Here's the link to the water flosser that I recommend to EVERY. SINGLE. PATIENT.
If you get a water flosser, watch the tutorial video before use. There's definitely a learning curve with using water flossers, but the results speak for themselves. I've had patients switch to water flossing, and when they come back for their 6 month visit, I'm not kidding when I say it looks like they just had their teeth cleaned!
*I should add that many people are surprised to hear that I recommend flossing before brushing. By flossing first, you can remove the majority of food and bacteria from between your teeth before you freshen up with toothpaste. There isn't much evidence supporting one way or the other, but I've found that this is the preferred sequence for the majority of my patients and dental professionals.
3. Brush your teeth for AT LEAST 2 minutes. Honestly, 2 minutes can sometimes seem like an eternity when you are brushing your teeth. But to adequately clean all surfaces in your mouth, it takes about 2 minutes to complete a thorough brushing. Many dental providers will tell you to brush with a fluoridated toothpaste, but as long as you don't have a high cavity rate or current decay, any paste (or none at all) will do the job! Fluoride is recommended to remineralize weakened tooth enamel and prevent decay. But there is long-standing controversy about the risks and benefits of fluoride use, so I say trust your instincts and do what you feel is best! If you do struggle with cavities and want to avoid fluoride use, click here to find hydroxyapatite (hi-droxy-appetite) toothpaste. Make sure it says fluoride-free (some of them have both fluoride and hydroxyapatite) if you don't want fluoride! Hydroxyapatite can remineralize tooth enamel and is a natural component that is already found within our tooth structure.
4. Don't forget to brush your tongue! Brushing your tongue is a practice with Ayurvedic roots (check out my post called Everyday Ayurveda for more practices).
5. Last but not least- Show the world your smile! A smile is your best asset! :)
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